3 Vedic Thought -2 (Karma – J anam)

Korada Subrahmanyam

E-text (Quadrant-I):

Vedic literature can broadly be put under two headings – कर्मand  ज्ञानर््|

Karma would lead to स्वर्मwhereas J ānam causes र्ोक्ष | Those, who perform Yāgas would go to Swarga and after enjoying comforts there for a period that commensurates with the amount of पुण्यर््performed, they will return to earth, i.e. will be born here, –

तॆतंभुक्त्वास्वर्मलोकंविशालं

क्षीणेपुण्येर्र्त्यलोकंविशन्ति |

Bhagavadgīta, 9-21

On the other hand, those who attain j ānam would get Mokṣa, i.e. arresting the cycle of birth and death and merging जीिात्मा with परर्ात्मा |

Veda is generally divided into two parts.

र्न्त्रब्राह्मणयो िेदनार्धेयर््

(आपस्तम्बपररभाषा)

Here the term ‘Brāhmaṇam’ includes Āraṇyakam and Upaniṣat.

Mantra and Brāhamaṇa, the first parts are useful in the performance of Yāgas whereas the latter, i.e. Āraṇyakam and Upaniṣat are for gaining j ānam.

So, in short, the first part deals with Karma whereas the latter with j   ānam.

There are six Darśanas or systems of Indian philosophy – पूिमर्ीर्ांसा,उत्तरर्ीर्ांसा, साांख्यम्,योगः , न्यायः and िैशेवषकर््|

Śabaraswamy  and  commentaries

The term ‘पूिम’in ‘पूिमर्ीर्ांसा’refers to the earlier part (र्न्त्र and ब्राह्मणम्) of Veda and also called कर्मर्ीर्ांसा,धर्मर्ीर्ांसा,र्ीर्ांसा, पूिमतन्त्रर््,पूिमकाण्डः , िाक्यशास्त्रर््etc.

The term ‘उत्तर’ in उत्तरर्ीर्ांसाrefers to the latter part (आरण्यकर््and उपवनषत्) of Veda and also called ब्रह्मर्ीर्ांसा, िेदाि etc.

Jaimini,  a  sage  had  authored  the  Sūtras  of  Mīmāmsā,  supported  by  the  Bhāṣyam  by thereupon  by  Prabhākara  and  Kumārilabhaṭṭa  अयातो

धर्मवजज्ञासा (र्ी.सू. 1-1-1) is the first Sūtram of Jaimini. It means – after learning Veda one should have the desire to know what is Dharma. When Dharma is known Adharma is also known. So Mīmāmsā is useful in knowing both Dharma and Adharma.

Here, the term Mīmāmsā is used in the sense of ‘पूवजतविचार’ (भार्ती 1-1-1) – ‘a venerable discussion’. In other words, Mīmāmsā is a work of Vedic exegeses. Vedic sentences are taken up and thru rigorous interpretation the Vākyārtha or the sentence-meaning is decided. Mīmāmsā holds that Dharma is achieved thru the performance of कर्मsor rites that are ordained by Veda such as यार् or sacrifice.

कर्मसिद्धान्त  (The theory of Karma)

The Vedic tradition has got a unique concept called ‘Karma’ (nemesis), which would explain the vicissitudes of beings in their life time as well as the cause of birth and rebirth of a being.

Literally कर्मmeans action / activity of a person. It is of two types – पुण्यकर्म,i.e. the कर्म that causes पुण्यर््(this term cannot be translated and it is as an opposite of पापर््or sin) and पापकर्म(a sinister action).

According to कर्मवसद्दाि,one will enjoy comforts as per his पुण्यकर्मinthe earlier lives and suffers as per his पापकर्मin the earlier lives.

If his कर्मis perished due to ज्ञानर््then he would attain र्ोक्ष.

पुनर्मर्म(Rebirth) – According to आयमसंस्कृthe वतआत्मा (Soul) is immutable or वनत्य and the physical body goes on changing, i.e. अवनत्य (transient). The आत्मा would take a different body, i.e. that of a mosquito or an elephant, following the earlier कर्म.

Bhartṛhari in Vākyakāṇḍa of Vākyapadīyam, a seminal work on Pāṇinian Grammar that the concept of पुनजमन्मhas to be accepted.

स्वरवृत्तांविकु रुतेर्धौ पुंस्कोवकलस्य? | जन्त्वादय कु लायावदकरणे नवशवक्षता ? 149

Every being is born with an inherent mental capacity called ‘Pratibhā’, that is attained from the earlier birth – otherwise who is changing the crow of a male cuckoo into पञ्चर्स्वर ? By whom spider etc. are trained in building cobweb, nest etc. ?

आहारप्रीत्यपद्वेषप्लिनावदवियासुक            |

जात्यन्वयप्रवसद्धासुप्रयोक्ता र्ृर्पवक्षणार््?150

Who is the organizer of animals and birds in the activities related to food, love, hatred, swimming etc. which are popular due to their jāti (class) and kula (group) ?

So all these physical and mental phenomena do happen due to – प्रवतभा, that is attained from the earlier life.

कर्मफलर््(nemesis)-One has to face the result of his कर्म, i.e. both पुण्यकर्मand पापकर्म – ‘अिश्यर्नुभोक्तव्यांकृ तंकर्मशुभाशुभर््’

One should enjoy or suffer for his auspicious and inauspicious activities that are committed. There is no escape.

नाभुक्तंक्षीयतेकर्मजन्मकोत्िशतैरवप

The कर्मthat is committed but not faced will not perish even after one crore (1,00,00,000) incarnations.

The Karmas can be destroyed only thru attaining ज्ञानर््– ‘ज्ञानावर्न         सिमकर्ामवणभस्मसात्कु रुतेतथा’ भर्िद्गीता 4-37.

Like that, the fire called ज्ञानर््would turn all the Karmas into dust. िञ्चितकर्म(the accumulated Karma) – Whatever Karma is accumulated thru earlier incarnations is called िञ्चितकर्मand this can be destroyed only thru ज्ञानर््|

प्रारब्धकर्म-The Karma that already started affecting the person in this life is called प्रारब्धकर्म and this can be exhausted only thru experiencing it.

कर्मञ्चिद्धान्त in Vedas —–

The theory of Karma is clearly stated in Veda –

तद्य इह रर्णीयचरणाः अभ्याशो ह यतेरर्णीयांयोवनर्ापद्येरन्ब्राह्मण-योवनंिा क्षविययोवनंिाथ य इह कपूयचरणाअभ्याशो ह यतेकपूयां योवनर््आपद्येरन्श्वयोवनंिा सूकरयोवनंिा चण्डालयोवनंिा (छान्दोग्योपवनषत्5-10-7)

In this world, those who did पुण्यकर्मwould quickly be born in an auspicious womb like Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya etc. (after enjoying for some time in चन्द्रर्ण्डल) whereas those who committed पापकर्मwould get birth as dog, pig, चण्डाल etc.

Taittirīyarāṇyakam (Kṛṣṇayajurveda), 1-31, says the following:-

यथापुण्यस्यकर्मणः |

अपाण्यपादके शास ति तेsयोवनजा जना

र्ृवापुनरर्त्ुमापद्यिे| अद्यर्ानाः स्वकर्मवभ|

Just like a person with पापकर्म- they are born without hands, without feet, without hair. There are people, who are not born out of womb, being ruled by their Karmas, die again and again.

सिसिघकर्ामसि(three kinds of Karmas) –

1.  सनत्यकर्ामसि-Veda has ordained certain Karmas to be performed regularly – सन्ध्ांर्नसा ध्यायेत्

(ऐतरेयब्राह्मणर््,3-8-1)

यािज्जीिर््अविहोिंजुहोवत

One should mediate सन्ध्ा (the deity, i.e. Sun during twilight) with mind. One should perform अविहोिर््as long as he is alive.

2.   नैसर्सिककर्ामसि-(the Karmas with a cause) – the Karmas caused by certain occasion are called नैवर्वत्तककर्मs.

राहूपरागेस्नायात् (स्मृत्तः)

One should take bath at the time of eclipse caused by Rāhu. The death ceremony, गृहप्रिेश (house-warming ceremony) etc. are also Naimittikakarmas.

3. काम्यकर्ामसि(the Karmas with a desire) – Any Karma performed with a desire is called काम्यकर्म|

वििाह (marriage) is for children and so it is a Kāmyakarma.

ज्योवतष्टोर्ेनस्वर्मकार्ोयजेत (श्रुवत )

One who wants to go to heaven should perform the sacrifice called    ज्योवतष्टोर् |

ज्ञानर्् and र्ोक्ष:– On the other hand, one who is desirous of र्ोक्ष ( relief from the worldly bindings and thus arresting the cycle of birth and death as well as uniting the जीिात्मा with परर्ात्मा is called र्ोक्ष ) should acquire ज्ञानम्।

As has already been stated earlier, one has to face the results of प्रारब्धकर्म,whereas the remaining

सत्ञ्चतकर्मwill be destroyed by ज्ञानर््|

र्ोक्ष is a term, just like शब्द, धर्म, योर्, पुण्य, that is untranslatable.

िंन्यािी-The one who prefers detachment to attachment with people and mundane affairs and concentrates on ज्ञानर््, in order to attain र्ोक्ष , is called a संन्यासी/ र्स्करी / पररव्राजकः ।|

Depending upon the status Samnyāsis are of four kinds – कु टीचकः , बहूदकः , हंस, परर्हंस |

Some scholars said that giving up Kāmyakarmas is called Samnyāsa –काम्यानांकर्मणांत्यार्ंसंन्यासंकियो विदु (भर्िद्गीता, 18-2)

Some Samnyāsins perform वनत्यनैवर्वत्तककर्मswhereas a परर्हंसgives up all Karmas, i.e. including वनत्य    and नैवर्वत्तक| त्यार् is explained by scholars as giving up the results of all Karmas – सिमकर्मफलत्यार्ंप्राहु त्यार्ंविचक्षणा (भर्िद्गीता, 18-2)ञ्चिञ्चि and ञ्चिषेि—-

The gamut of sentences, both in the Veda and world can be put under two headings

विवध and वनषेध| विवध means injunction whereas वनषेधmeans censure.

If a sentence says  ‘do it’ then it is a  विवधिाक्यर््|

If a sentence says ‘do not do it’ then it is a वनषेधिाक्यम्| ‘सत्यंिद’ (speak the truth) is a विवधिाक्यर््|

‘र्ा वहंस्यात्सिामभूतावन’(one should not hurt any beings) is a  वनषेधिाक्यर््|

The sentences of commendation and condemnation, called स्तुर्त्थयिाद and वनन्दाथयिाद would end up in विवध and वनषेधrespectively.

स्तुत्यथयिादs are useful in generating an urge in the minds of the people to do something.

वनन्दाथयिादs are useful in discouraging one from doing something.

As per a norm called नवहवनन्दान्याय (शाबरभाष्यर््,पूवयमीमाांसासूत्रम्1-4-30)the वनन्दा of something or someone is not to censure but to praise the opposite.

Therefore, the रािणवनन्दा (censure of Rāvaṇa) in रार्ायणर््would have its purport in रार्स्तुवत (praising Rāma) rather than in censuring Rāvaṇa.

Same is the case with Duryodhana and Dharmarāja in र्हाभारतर््also.

प्रायञ्चििकर्ामसि”-A person , having committed a sinister action (पापकर्म), unknowingly or due to circumstances would have to perform a prescribed Karma, in order to get rid of the sin. This is called प्रायत्ित्तर््(penance).

There are also certain Karmas that render neither पुण्यर््nor पापर््,such as laughing too much, scratching without itching etc.

सिसिसिषा — Literally it means ‘a desire to know’ (the Brahman). ब्रुहदारण्यकोपवनषत्- says that one would get विविवदषा thru the recitation of Veda, by sacrifices (कमयs) , contributions and the imperishable तपस्- तर्ेिंिेदानुिचनेनब्राह्मणा विविवदषन्ति यज्ञेनदानेनतपसा अनाशके न|

So even the काम्यकर्ामवण,such as वििाह (marriage) are useful in attaining र्ोक्ष thru generating विविवदषा |

It is also stated in scriptures that the काम्यकर्मs, if the result is given up, are useful in achieving वचतशुद्धद्ध(cleansing of mind) that would ultimately lead to र्ोक्ष |

भक्ति, कर्म, ज्ञानर््— There is threefold approach to attain र्ोक्ष |

The first one is भन्तक्त (devotion). This is useful for ordinary people. Bhakti does not directly cause र्ोक्ष but thru generating ज्ञानर््|

Bhakti falls under सर्ुणोपासना- worshipping Brahman, having some form and name such as विष्णु, वशि, र्ायिी etc.

Karmas are also useful in achieving र्ोक्ष not directly but thru gradually cleansing the mind (वचतशुद्धद्ध) that leads to ज्ञानर््| This path, also सगुणोपासना, is for people, who can sustain the severity of Karmas.

Those , who have the mental caliber that can exercise control upon mind and other sense organs , can attain J ānam that directly leads to र्ोक्ष | Here it will be वनर्ुमणोपासनाor worshipping the Brahman without any form or name.

Śamkaracārya at the beginning of his ब्रह्मिूिभाष्यर््prescribes four prerequisites to study िेदाि-

1.  सनत्यासनत्यिस्तुसििेकः — The distinguishing capacity of things of the universe in terms of eternal and non-eternal.

2. इहार्ुिार्थभोगसिरागः – – Detachment towards the enjoyment of things that are here in this world and another world.

3.  शर्िर्ासििािनिंपत्— The wealth of equipment such as control on mind and other sense organs.

4.  र्ुर्ुक्षत्वम्— A desire in र्ोक्ष |

िाक्यशास्त्रर््– पूिमर्ीर्ांिा—For any scholar the knowledge of पदिाक्यप्रर्ाणशास्त्रावण is essential as per Indian tradition. पदशास्त्रर््is व्याकरणर््,िाक्यशास्त्रर््is पूिमर्ीर्ांसाand प्रर्ाणशास्त्रर््is न्यायिैशेवषके|The fact is that although each one of the above mentioned शास्त्रs discusses all the linguistic units right from िणमdown to र्हािाक्यर््(िणम:,प्रकृ :,वत प्रत्यय:, पदर््:,िाक्यर््:,अिािरिाक्यर््:,र्हािाक्यर््) the designation, such as पदशास्त्रर््,is given depending upon the aspect each system deals with chiefly.

The sentences in Vedic literature can be put under five headings :-

1. सिसििाक्यम्(Injunction):- ‘स्वर्मकार्ोयजेत’(one desirous of heaven should perform the sacrifice) – this is a Vidhivākya and it is स्वत:प्रर्ाणर््(self authoritative).

2. र्न्त्रिाक्यर््:- Mantras, such as इषेवोर्जेवा (कृ ष्णयजुिेदः-beginning), are useful during the performance of a यार्, thru recollecting the meaning.

3.नार्िेयिाक्यर््:- The sentence which denotes the designation of a यार् – उन्तिदा यजेत पशुकामः (ताण्डयब्राह्मणर््,19-6-3, अथिमिेदः ) – this sentence denotes the name of a यार् called उन्तित्|Since this sentence is connected with a विवध, it cannot have स्वत:प्रार्ाण्यर््|

4.  सनषेििाक्यर््:-A sentence that prescribes a censure – बत्हयवष रजतंन देयर््(one should not use silver as दवक्षणा during a यार्), Taittirīysamhitā, 1-5-1-2.

5.  अर्थिाििाक्यर््:- The sentences that are useful in commending and condemning a rite. As such there is dichotomy of Arthavādas – स्तुत्यथयिाद :, वनन्दाथयिाद : | The former is the remaining part of विवध, i.e. विवधशेष.Whereas the latter is the remaining part of वनषेध|

Jaimini rules (पूवयर्ीमाांसासूत्रम्1-2-1-7) – विवधना वेकिाक्यवात्स्तुत्यथेन विधीनांस्यु:(since the अयमिादsare meant to praise the विवध, they get connected to विवधिाक्य and become the remaining part (विवधशेष)of विवधिाक्यर््|

Here is the popular definition of a िाक्यर््offered by Jaimini (पू.र्ी.सू.2-1-14-46) – अथैकवात् एकंिाक्यंसाकाङ्क्षंचेत्िभागे स्यात्(ifasingle meaning is expressed or a single thing is proposed and when separated if the parts are found to be wanting, then it is a sentence).

Prerequisites of a िाक्यर््— There are three prerequisites of a िाक्यर््– आकाड्क्क्षा(mutual expectancy), योग्यता (compatibility) and आसत्तः (proximity). The words of a sentence should expect each other – the word चैि:(Caitra) being a noun expects a verb – पचत्त (is cooking) and vice versa. So by supplying a noun or verb the आकाड्क्क्षाis put to rest. There can be a sentence with more than one verb. If no verb is employed by the speaker then one should supply the verb denoting, existence, i.e. अन्तस्त / भिवत / विद्यते। आकाड्क्क्षाis the basic prerequisite of a sentence.

योग्यता is compatibility. चैि:अविना वसञ्चवत (Caitra is watering with fire) – is not a sentence because, although syntactically correct, it failed on semantic front.

योग्यता will be alive in a sentence unlike आकांक्षा|

आसवत्त (or सविवध) is proximity of words. One should pronounce the words of a sentence in quick succession. Any long pause between words is not acceptable.

Just like most of other aspects, this definition of a sentence is also universal, i.e. applicable to all languages.

The above definition of Jaimini is meticulously compiled in order to suit for both a िाक्यर्् and र्हािाक्यर््|

र्हािाक्यर््— A group of पदs (words) with आकाइक्षा, योग्यता and आसवत्त is a िाक्यर्् whereas a group of अिािरिाक्यs (sub-sentences) with the above said three prerequisites is a र्हािाक्यर््|

If the meaning to be expressed is short, one would use a िाक्यर््whereas if it is large then a र्हािाक्यर््| In other words र्हािाक्यर््and र्हाकाव्यर््are synonyms. रार्ायणर््,र्हाभारतर्् etc. are र्हािाक्यs.

In िेदािwe come across र्हािाक्यs such as तत्त्वर्वस (छान्दोग्योपवनषत्,6). Here even if it looks like a िाक्यर््it is called र्हािाक्यर््because of अथयर्ौरिर््(heaviness of meaning) – the purport of the entire chapter is denoted by this sentence तत्त्वर्वस श्वेतकेmeansतो – Oh ! Śvetaketu you yourself are that परर्ात्मा, i.e. जीिात्मा is not different from परर्ात्मा |

So in the case of रार्ायणर््etc. it is the शब्दर्ौरिर््(vastness of शब्द) whereas in the case of तत्त्वर्वस etc. it is अथयर्ौरिर््|

It may be noted that the gamut of sentences can be put under two headings – विवध and वनषेध (do or don’t do). The other sentences of commendation and condemnation, i.e. स्तुत्ययमिादand

वनन्दायमिाद,have to be syntactically connected to विवध and वनषेध,respectively , even in रामायणम्etc. so that they are not left meaningless.

शक्ति:- In deciding the meaning of a िाक्यर््,Śabaraswāmy, the author of भाष्यर््on Jaimini’s पूिमर्ीर्ांसासूिsoffereda norm that is very important – आरव्यातशब्दानार्थंब्रुितांशन्तक्त: सहकाररणी (while interpreting the verbal words capacity should be associated). What he means is this – let us take a sentence like ‘स्वर्मकार्ो

यजेत’(one desirous of Svarga should perform the यार्) – does it mean that anybody with a desire in Svarga can perform the यार् ? No – he should have शन्तक्त (capacity) of three kinds – र्ानवसकशन्तक्त:, शारीरकशन्तक्त: and आवथमकशन्तक्त:(mental physical and financial capacities).

Dichotomy of याग — यार् is of two types – प्रकृ त्तयागand विकृत्तयाग | If all the अङ्गात्न (constituents) are mentioned it is called प्रकृ त्तयाग|While only some अङ्गात्न are mentioned and the rest are to be borrowed from प्रकृ वतयार्then it is विकृत्तयार् | प्रकृ वद्तविकृ वत:कतमव्या (the विकृ वतयार्has to be performed just like the प्रकृ वतयार्). ज्योवतष्टोर्यार् is प्रकृ वतयार् whereas सौयमयार्etc. is विकृ वतयार्|

भािना :- This is of two types – शाब्दी भािना and आथी भािना | Since Veda is अपौरुषेय,the order / urge by Veda to do something is called शाब्दी भािना | The प्रयत्न (effort) is called आथी भािना |

The combination of द्रव्यम्the( substance ) and the देवता(deity) is called याग ।

Web links

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• www.korāḍīyam (blog)

Bibliography

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